This is why[Only registered and activated users can see images. Click Here To Register...]wanted to come to the Knicks. It isn't only about bringing an NBA title home. It's about this city, his city.
Anthony was as cool as the spring night last night as he sat in Suite 4 at Yankee Stadium dressed in designer shades and a multi-color sweater. And he was surrounded by big-money employees of broker-dealer WJB Capital Group.
You don't get this in Denver.
"The excitement is back," Anthony told The Post. "We were in the playoffs, the Rangers were in the playoffs, now we got the Yankees. New York is the place, year round, and we're going to be part of it."

How big a part?
Anthony wasn't about to declare the Knicks the favorite to win next year's NBA Finals. But he believes the team's playoff push and a gutty first-round effort in which a hobbled team pushed the Celtics has set the stage for next season.
"There's a bull's-eye on us and it's getting bigger," he said. "When you have a team with me, Amar'e [Stoudemire] and Chauncey Billups, that's already a bull's-eye, but now we're going to have a year under us."
Anthony said he understands that Knicks fans might have been frustrated the team didn't achieve greatness after acquiring him in a February blockbuster trade with the Nuggets. After nine seasons in the NBA, he's learned the importance of continuity and commitment.
"A lot of people thought, 'They got Melo, they're to win it,' " he said. "It doesn't work that way. You have to have a commitment from everyone to win. We have that now. We're all committed to putting in the work to bring a title to New York."
Anthony didn't talk about the possibility of the Knicks adding additional free-agent stars such as guard Chris Paul or center Dwight Howard. He has seen Stoudemire try to play through agonizing back spasms in the playoffs and watched Billups knock down countless big shots.
He doesn't care if fans think of the Knicks as his team or Stoudemire's team. The Brooklyn native, who led Syracuse to the 2003 NCAA title, has one goal:
Win it all.
"Knicks fans have no idea yet what they have in him," said Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim, who was at the stadium for a Coaches vs[Only registered and activated users can see images. Click Here To Register...]event. "The only thing that matters to Carmelo is winning. It's all he's about. He's a very, very special player."
And he's in a very, very special place.
As Anthony was readying to leave the stadium, Yankees employees who are accustomed to seeing superstars such as Derek Jeter and Alex Rodriguez on a nightly basis, politely gathered on the suite-level floor to catch a glimpse of the Knicks' newest superstar.
He is comfortable in this setting, smiling to all, nodding to well wishers with his personable son Kiyan by his side.
"New York always has a bull's-eye on it," said Anthony. "This is where you want to succeed. It's why Amar'e came here. The bull's-eye is going to be bigger next season and we'll be ready for it."

May 12, 2011, 18:52

ronoranina

I like everything Melo said. Got me a little pumped.. Nice post KPH.

The only thing that kinda didn't make sense was when the writer said we "pushed" the Celtics. Lil' bit of a stretch there but whatevs..

May 12, 2011, 19:10

AmareForPresident

Quote:

"You don't get this in Denver."

Damn right.

May 13, 2011, 04:54

NewYork 21 Knicks

i bet in his entire career here he will never attend a single rangers game.

May 13, 2011, 07:47

Sprewell-Houston

Melo is our boy!

The straightest Knick since John Starks!

So proud to have him. STAT is a great man, but Melo is wearing that NYC swag on his sleeve :smokin:

I still think Miami is too big for us in the next couple of years. We might end up beeing the second best team in the world for the next 3-4 years....90s all over again :cool:

May 13, 2011, 12:13

AmareForPresident

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sprewell-Houston

Melo is our boy!

The straightest Knick since John Starks!

So proud to have him. STAT is a great man, but Melo is wearing that NYC swag on his sleeve :smokin:

I still think Miami is too big for us in the next couple of years. We might end up beeing the second best team in the world for the next 3-4 years....90s all over again :cool:

No! Dallas will beat Miami in the Finals and with CP3 we will have a better big 3. :thumbsup:

May 13, 2011, 12:32

Red

Quote:

Originally Posted by AmareForPresident

No! Dallas will beat Miami in the Finals and with CP3 we will have a better big 3. :thumbsup:

I respect you but...

How can I respect a fan who is willing to AGAIN fantasize on a specific free-agent to be, and prioritize him (a PG) over a quality big?

After all we as fans been through... considering who we already have... witnessing the Jetison of every quality to semi-quality big we've had since (and including) Patrick Ewing...

And you want to sell me on another year of "Just wait til'" and that "til'" equals some one other than a big...

WOW. D'Antoni must be growing on some of you. I have no words.

Yeah anyone would want a prime healthy CP3- but NOT before filling NEEDED holes. That makes absolutely no sense.

May 13, 2011, 12:43

RunningJumper

Quote:

Originally Posted by Red

I respect you but...

How can I respect a fan who is willing to AGAIN fantasize on a specific free-agent to be, and prioritize him (a PG) over a quality big?

After all we as fans been through... considering who we already have... witnessing the Jetison of every quality to semi-quality big we've had since (and including) Patrick Ewing...

And you want to sell me on another year of "Just wait til'" and that "til'" equals some one other than a big...

WOW. D'Antoni must be growing on some of you. I have no words.

Yeah anyone would want a prime healthy CP3- but NOT before filling NEEDED holes. That makes absolutely no sense.

As I said before, I'm more for a good center and a good passing PG that wouldn't cost nearly as much.

Bothers me to see people declare Chris Paul already to be on the Knicks. Bothers me even more that people think the Hornets are gonna trade him for Billups and Fields? You kidding me?

May 13, 2011, 12:56

Hayato

melo and amare have to coexist on the court before we can go ANYWHERE. im not one of the blind believers that an offseason together will magically make them click

May 13, 2011, 15:52

Sprewell-Houston

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hayato

melo and amare have to coexist on the court before we can go ANYWHERE. im not one of the blind believers that an offseason together will magically make them click

That's why a lot of people here want Chris Paul as our playmaker!

It's all about the distribution and the plays run by the PG.

Steve Nash managed to feed STAT, Joe Johnson, Q-Rich, Marion and Tim Thomas all at the same time in Phoenix and on top of that created enough offense for himself to score 20 ppg.

Billups is old and has never been an elite playmaker. Elite PG yes, back in 03-04, elite playmaker - never. The Pistons were successful because of their defense.

You can add any big in the word, without an elite PG we're not going to win a championship. Can Marc Gasol play distributor? Can DeAndre Jordan? Can Dwight Howard? No, they all need some good passing and some good plays run for them. CP3 or even Deron Williams can do that.

May 13, 2011, 16:01

petescud

Melo is the man...love the effort he put up in the playoffs....too bad Amar'e and Billups were hurt...we would had given Boston all they could handle...i think it would had gone 7 games, especially if Dantoni was a better coach. Those first 2 games were all ours

May 13, 2011, 16:23

Hayato

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sprewell-Houston

That's why a lot of people here want Chris Paul as our playmaker!

It's all about the distribution and the plays run by the PG.

Steve Nash managed to feed STAT, Joe Johnson, Q-Rich, Marion and Tim Thomas all at the same time in Phoenix and on top of that created enough offense for himself to score 20 ppg.

Billups is old and has never been an elite playmaker. Elite PG yes, back in 03-04, elite playmaker - never. The Pistons were successful because of their defense.

You can add any big in the word, without an elite PG we're not going to win a championship. Can Marc Gasol play distributor? Can DeAndre Jordan? Can Dwight Howard? No, they all need some good passing and some good plays run for them. CP3 or even Deron Williams can do that.

still..melo and amare didnt look good together

May 13, 2011, 18:30

LJ4ptplay

Quote:

"The only thing that matters to Carmelo is winning. It's all he's about."

Got to call bullsh*t on this one. If he was about winning he would have signed with us in two months. We would have been championship contenders next year. Now? Who knows how long it may take with the new CBA and lack of draft picks, flexibility, depth, bench and assets.

May 13, 2011, 22:09

Hayato

Quote:

Originally Posted by LJ4ptplay

Got to call bullsh*t on this one. If he was about winning he would have signed with us in two months. We would have been championship contenders next year. Now? Who knows how long it may take with the new CBA and lack of draft picks, flexibility, depth, bench and assets.

he woulda suffered with the new cba if he cae after the season

May 13, 2011, 22:22

LJ4ptplay

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hayato

he woulda suffered with the new cba if he cae after the season

Exactly, he was about the money, not winning.

Suffered?!? There are many free agents this summer. None of them demanded to be traded and many of them stand to lose a far greater percentage of their salary than Melo. The superstars are still going to get paid massive amounts of money with the new CBA. It's the mid-level players that are going to get hurt the most. Yet none of them are complaining.

Plus, Melo has made over $100 mil in his career thus far. Instead of $65 mil, he probably would have gotten $45-50 mil. So instead of $165 mil, he gets $150 mil.

People feeling sorry for Melo are just Knick fans trying to sugar coat the reality of Melo's greed. Say what you want about Melo's skills, but the truth is he was just about getting what he wanted. Winning was obviously secondary. There is really no debate here.